Gemotions

The anticipation of the party at the community center, celebrating his own birthday, felt distant and unimportant. Samuel sat in the car, struggling to keep his eyes open. He was supposed to be helping with setup, but the thought filled him with a strange, heavy dread.

The warm air of the afternoon felt like a physical weight on his shoulders. The radio played a cheerful tune, but it only grated on his nerves. He rested his head against the cool glass of the window, the movement making his eyelids feel even heavier.

"Ready to go, buddy?" his dad asked, trying to sound enthusiastic. Samuel just nodded slowly, the effort of forming a word seeming too much.